Difference in volume level between HD & SD channels

[edc1]

After installing a JBL SB400 soundbar with a VU DUO, noticed that sound level varies a lot between HD & SD channels. Before on the TV speakers it was similar. But now when changing from an HD channel to SD channel and keeping same sound level, one does not hear anything. Have to raise the sound level considerably, and lower again when changing back to an HD channel.

Downmix is set to Off. Kindly advise

Thanks


Edward

 

[angelofsky1980]

After installing a JBL SB400 soundbar with a VU DUO, noticed that sound level varies a lot between HD & SD channels. Before on the TV speakers it was similar. But now when changing from an HD channel to SD channel and keeping same sound level, one does not hear anything. Have to raise the sound level considerably, and lower again when changing back to an HD channel.

Downmix is set to Off. Kindly advise

Thanks


Edward

I don't know the JBL soundbar and it's connections but if you connect the box via optical connection you should have only one audio level controlled by soundbar remote.
Also, disable TV speakers if the TV set is not connected to sonundbar

 

[edc1]

I don't know the JBL soundbar and it's connections but if you connect the box via optical connection you should have only one audio level controlled by soundbar remote.
Also, disable TV speakers if the TV set is not connected to sonundbar

Thanks for the feedback. The soundbar is connected to VU via HDMI, and again via HDMI (ARC output) to TV, since it needs the HDMI for on screen display.

VU remote was programmed to vary the sound of the soundbar.

TV speakers are off.

Tomorrow I will try your suggestion and connect it via optical cable.

 

[edc1]

I tried the optical cable connection between VU and soundbar. and HDMI between VU and TV. switched off internal TV speakers, set Downmix Off.

Sound is better (no infrequent large POPs). But still the sound level between SD and HD channels quite large.

Strange because this difference is not noticeable on the internal TV speakers (with sound bar off, and Downmix On).

Any suggestion? Thanks

 

[angelofsky1980]

I tried the optical cable connection between VU and soundbar. and HDMI between VU and TV. switched off internal TV speakers, set Downmix Off.

Sound is better (no infrequent large POPs). But still the sound level between SD and HD channels quite large.

Strange because this difference is not noticeable on the internal TV speakers (with sound bar off, and Downmix On).

Any suggestion? Thanks

Wehn you enable Downmix, the audio level is piloted by Vu+ and it's normal that SD and HD channels have the same level.
When downmix is OFF and you are playing a DD/DD+ track on Vu+, the bitstream will be evaluated in another device and the volume is piloted in that device.

 

[edc1]

Wehn you enable Downmix, the audio level is piloted by Vu+ and it's normal that SD and HD channels have the same level.
When downmix is OFF and you are playing a DD/DD+ track on Vu+, the bitstream will be evaluated in another device and the volume is piloted in that device.

Thank you.

 

[Eragon]

But still the sound level between SD and HD channels quite large.

If the channel is transmitting DD audio, the box's volume control is excluded since the encoded audio stream can't be modified in any way before being output through HDMI to the final decoder.
Conversely, SD channel standard audio volume can be regulated within the box, as it doesn't need to be decoded.

As a solution, you could use the box's volume control for the SD channels to compensate (+/-) the volume difference so to match the HD channels volume. You need to make this regulation only initially and subsequently only use the soundbar or receiver volume control.

Downmix consists in decoding the DD audio within the box so to output a standard PCM audio stream through HDMI. In this case the box' volume control should still be available to use.

 

[edc1]

@As a solution, you could use the box's volume control for the SD channels to compensate (+/-) the volume difference so to match the HD channels volume. You need to make this regulation only initially and subsequently only use the soundbar or receiver volume control.

Thanks Eragon. I'm not sure if I understood everything you said. If I do above to compensate do I need to switch off the downmix? Because with downmix on I never achieve good sound.

Currently the best option I found, since I discovered that the TV does not support ARC, is to connect again VU to Soundbar via HDMI, then Soundbar to TV via HDMI and Optical cable. downmix off, this way Soundbar keeps same level of sound, and sound is quite good. But not sure if this is a recommended configuration when TV does not have ARC, since sometimes I do get some POP sounds, but quite low. Not sure the function of the Optical cable, when their is the HDMI between Soundbar and TV, but found this configuration on a Philips website.

I had tried the other config, as recommended by AngelofSky, where VU is connected via HDMI direct to TV, and VU also connected to Soundbar via Optical Cable. With Downmix off, I had different levels of sound between SD and HD - but never a POP sound. Maybe your recommendation refers to this config? But I could never get similar level of sound with this config - and everytime one changes channel one has to adjust sound level.

Thanks

 

[Eragon]

If I do above to compensate do I need to switch off the downmix? Because with downmix on I never achieve good sound.

Yes, that solution is applicable only if downmix is off (= DD audio gets untouched to the receiver/soundbar).

 

[edc1]

Yes, that solution is applicable only if downmix is off (= DD audio gets untouched to the receiver/soundbar).

Ok I reverted back to other config, VU direct to soundbar with Optical cable, and VU to TV via HDMI. Downmix off. sound seems fine. Even changing channel as you said, only slight sound level difference. I will give it a try.

The connection where VU is connected direct to soundbar with HDMI produces several POP sounds, say after 30min or 1 hr operation. Very strange, found many others on the web with same problem, but connected to other devices than VU. In my case the issue is only when VU is connected. When I try a Samsung Bluray via HDMI to soundbar, this is ok.